Former deputy president Jacob Zuma on Sunday accused the media of using his recent rape trial and upcoming corruption trial to boost their circulation.
”You are a business but you want to believe that you are watchdogs,” said Zuma, speaking in his home district of Nkandla at festivities to thank locals for their support.
Although Zuma said there had been a few newspapers that had reported without bias, the majority still needed to ”straighten their act”.
”Let us respect our Constitution and defend it as the media. Let us not condemn people. Do not sensationalise so that you raise sales at the expense of other peoples lives,” he said.
He accused the media of convicting him.
”You remain innocent unless proven otherwise. Stick to the Constitution.”
He said that his constitutional rights had been ”trampled upon” when he was criticised by the media for choosing to express himself in Zulu during the rape trial earlier this year.
”It is common knowledge that there are certain words which are insulting when said in English but are acceptable in isiZulu,” he said.
Zuma also criticised ”ignorant politicians” who came up with unfounded theories ”which confused the nation”.
He did not elaborate on the theories or to which politicians he was referring.
”Let this [the theories] not be translated into tribalism by shallow and ignorant politicians.”
Zuma’s warning to the media comes ahead of the corruption trial which starts at the end of this month in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Zuma earlier in July sued publishers, editors, reporters, a cartoonist and newspapers for their coverage and comment of his rape trial.
The defamation claims run into hundreds of millions of rands, much of it directed at reporters and editors of Independent Newspapers.
The Star newspaper said that Zuma is demanding R125-million for an article and a series of cartoons it published. Apparently Zuma’s lawyers served Independent Newspapers separate summonses for different articles, which total R125-million.
The paper said lawyers for Zuma contend that the articles and cartoons ”injured [Zuma] in his dignity and his reputation”.
The cartoons were created by Jonathan Shapiro, who uses the pen name Zapiro and contributes cartoons to several media groups, including Independent Newspapers and Johnnic Communcations, which publishes the Sunday Times.
Zuma wants R15-million from Shapiro for creating three cartoons relating to Zuma’s rape trial earlier this year. Zuma was acquitted on all charges of raping a 31-year-old HIV-positive family friend. He maintained they had consensual sex.
‘I wasn’t alone
In thanking the locals Zuma said that the sacrifices of those who had used what little [money] they had to travel between Durban and Johannesburg did not go unnoticed.
”There were times when I had to persuade people not to worry about travelling to the trial but they would still come.
”It was during these times that I realised I wasn’t alone,” he said.
Zuma also acknowledged a donation by a local maskandi group called Izingane Zoma who had donated a ”vast sum of money from the sales of a hit song”.
Although he did not disclose exactly how much had been donated, he said that it had been sufficient to foot the costs of the rape trial.
One of the group’s songs, Msholozi, which is about a plot to block Zuma from becoming president, was taken off SABC radio’s playlist earlier this year.
He said that his struggles in life had taught him about perseverance and that from a young age he had learnt about bravery.
”As a man you face your battles head on, you don’t turn and run.”
Zuma also warned supporters not to harbour hatred against any of his detractors.
”I have also learnt that hate in your heart will consume you too,” he said.
He also thanked the Muslims, Christians and Jews who had prayed for his acquittal in the rape trial.
”When I realised how many people were praying for me, I told myself, judging by the sheer volume of all these prayers, God will surely answer much quicker then he normally would,” he said.
Before he spoke the almost 3 000-strong audience was entertained by several bands. Several leading Amakhosi from the district were present as was former national education minister Professor Sibusiso Bhengu.
”Lets drink eat and be merry,” he told approving supporters.
Festivities were expected to continue late into the night. – Sapa